A minimum of 17 million died worldwide in the Spanish flu pandemic 100 years ago when 500 million globally were infected, yielding a minimum death rate of 3.4%.
The estimates of deaths go up from there, some claiming as many as 50 million or even 100 million died.
CNBC reports this morning that total infections from Wuhan, China coronavirus number 79,400 and deaths 2,621.
The numbers are puny by comparison, but the death rate is not: 3.3%.
Absent draconian restrictions on movement and assembly this virus could kill millions similar to the Spanish flu pandemic.
The new outbreaks outside the Chinese mainland will foretell the true future for the world as many doubt the veracity of the Chinese numbers, both death counts and case counts.
